had a Date with Chocolate.

and began to search for a healthier chocolate cake recipe that I knew he would find just as scrumptious!

I am happy to announce I succeeded in making the birthday boy a delectable gluten-free and paleo treat

that is naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup.

I call it…

CAKE

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup almond flour

¼ cup coconut flour

pinch of salt

½ t baking powder

½ cup melted coconut oil

½ cup maple syrup (ROOM TEMP!)

2 eggs (ROOM TEMP!)

2 t vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Mix all of the dry ingredients (cocoa powder, almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking powder) in a large bowl.

In a medium sized bowl mix the wet ingredients (melted coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract). NOTE: It is important that the maple syrup and eggs are at room temperature, otherwise the coconut oil will begin to harden and clump into yucky chunks.

Take the bowl with the wet ingredients and add them to the bowl with the dry. Mix with a whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.

Spray your 8” round cake pan and then proceed to pour the batter into the pan.

Bake for roughly 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

FUDGE ICING

INGREDIENTS

10 dates

3 T unsweetened cocoa powder

3 T melted coconut oil

2 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

4-6 T date soaking water

DIRECTIONS

Soak the dates in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes to help soften them.

Place the dates, cocoa powder, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla extract into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly begin to add the date soaked water until you get the fudgey consistency you want. I used roughly 6 tablespoons but you may want less or more!

Once your cake has cooled, cover it with the fudge icing. I topped it with raspberries as that’s my Dad’s favorite. Cut a slice, and dive in!